Reinforced metal alloy for enhanced armor protection and methods

Abstract

An armor plate and method of making an armor plate is provided having the steps of: suspending a carbon fiber weave within a mold; heating aluminum 6061 or 7075 alloy to a molten state; pouring the molten aluminum into the mold having ceramic particulates in the range of 1 to 60 percent by volume of the molten aluminum and in the range of 3-44 microns in diameter; cooling the resultant matrixed aluminum to ambient temperature; and laminating at least two layers of ballistic fiber to the matrixed aluminum.

We claim: 
     
       1. A method of making an armor plate comprising the steps of: suspending a carbon fiber weave within a mold; heating aluminum 6061 or 7075 alloy to a molten state; pouring the molten aluminum into the mold having ceramic particulates in the range of 1 to 60 percent by volume of the molten aluminum and in the range of 3-44 microns in diameter; cooling the resultant matrixed aluminum to ambient temperature; and laminating at least two layers of ballistic fiber to the matrixed aluminum. 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the aluminum is heated to about 1,400 degrees Fahrenheit. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , the ceramic particulate is in the range of 40 to 50 percent by volume of the cast aluminum alloy and in the range of 6-20 microns in diameter. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of suspending the carbon fiber weave within a mold uses caplets. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of spraying the armor plate with a blast mitigation and protective coat. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ceramic particulate is at least one of silicon carbide and boron carbide. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein ceramic particulate is dry mixed with aluminum alloy powder in a rotary batch or V mixer prior to heating and casting of aluminum alloy.